How to Manage Ingrown Toenails

How to treat your ingrown toenails and when you need medical care.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Warm Water
• Table or Epsom's salt
• Nail file/emory board
• Topical antibiotic cream/ointment
• comfortable shoes

1. If you have had ongoing ingrown toenails you need to seek medical care from your Podiatrist after you start this plan of home treatment.

2. Do not stuff cotton under your nail or use any thing to dig the nail out. You will generally create a more complicated problem and create an infection if there is not one already. Once the nail penetrates or breaks into your skin the surrounding tissue will swell and you may see pus. The pain may temporarily improve.

3. 

   Begin to soak your effected foot in salt water-use warm water and about 1-2 tsp. of salt/quart water or 1-2 tablespoons of Epsom salt/quart warm water. Soak about 10 minutes, rinse off your foot, dry well and apply a Small amount of antibiotic and cover with a bandaide. If you can put the bandaide on so you are gently pulling the skin away from the nail that will help reduce the pain. Wear your most comfortable shoes until the toe heals.

Tips & Warnings

• You generally will need to soak 2-3 times per day if the toe is swollen
• Wear comfortable shoes that do not press the toe, open sandals are good.
• You need medical care if the redness extends past the 1st joint of your toe
• Call your Podiatrist after you have started to soak so the infection stays local.
• Antibiotics DO NOT fix an ingrown nail. They reduce the infection but do not address the nail grown into the skin.
• If you are a Diabetic or have any vascular (poor blood supply) then you have to have medical care.
• Do not fool yourself into thinking that an ingrown nail is no problem. Infections of this type are the most common reason that can lead to amputation.